All About Invasive Species: Piranha

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Invasive Species Fact Sheet: Piranha, Family Characidae.” California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1 Aug. 2020, nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=86499&inline. 

Piranhas are freshwater fish commonly known for their powerful jaws and sharp teeth. While they tend to hover around 12 inches in length, they’ve been known to reach over 16 inches. It’s important to note that while piranhas aren’t yet an invasive species in California, their given characteristics in combination with a Californian climate have made many scientists especially wary about the potential consequences should they be introduced into the wild. The most likely possibility for this would be if an aquarium owner released a pet piranha. At the moment, piranhas cannot be imported, transported, or possessed without a permit in California as a preemptive measure against their potential release.

This article was interesting because it considers the potential impacts that piranhas might have on California ecosystems, native species, and environments. This worry seems to stem from the fact that a piranha was actually found in a pond in Riverside in 1987, a park pond in Santa Barbara in 1989, and a lake in Ventura in 1998. Luckily, they never populated, but the potential impacts they could have if they did spread would be dangerous, possibly irreversible. Not only do piranhas prey on native species, but they also compete with these species for their habitats and food sources, harming native biodiversity as well. It’s interesting to consider how the California Department of Fish and Wildlife compiled this piranha fact guide preemptively, even though piranhas have yet to become fully established as an invasive species. Guides like these provide an interesting perspective on the importance of information regarding invasive species; having comprehensive articles like these are especially helpful for scientists and everyday citizens in the event that a piranha is found. With accessible knowledge, these issues can be confronted quickly and, hopefully, with successful efficiency and eradication.

2 thoughts on “All About Invasive Species: Piranha

  1. I think the thought of piranhas getting loose in CA is enough to freak at least a few people out. I actually have fished for prianhas (in Brazil)… I can tell you this, they are such a bony fish… and you’ve got work for every bite. Our bait was bacon. Totally different style of fishing- but I digress… let’s leave them in Brazil. So how do we get these pet owners (of illegal pets) to stop releasing invasives into the wild Kari? It seems like this shouldn’t be such a difficult task, but people continue to do so.

    Invasives are a huge issue as you now know. Trying to manage them is very complicated. I hope you have a new appreciation for that, and this topic has kept you interested. Thanks for all your work on it this year.

    • It’s definitely complicated, especially when pet owners likely have different motives or justifications for releasing invasive species into the wild. However, monetary incentives are a reasonable solution. If the government allocates funds towards an ‘invasive species collection center’ (maybe this exists, maybe it’s something that should be created), then pet owners might be motivated to bring their pets there and receive an amount of money, rather than releasing the pet into the wild. Naturally, this hesitant solution would require advertising so that people are aware of this option, especially in areas with higher populations of illegal pets. There are likely, however, a diverse array of pathways that will help aid this fight against invasive species. The general education of the population is also a good route to invest in.

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